Walz Authorizes Aid for Six Flood, Wildfire Counties

State disaster assistance will help four southern counties recover from September flooding and two northern counties recover from July wildfires.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Natural Disasters

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a swollen river channel across a green valley under grey cloud, with a dark northern forest line at the horizon. — Gov. Tim Walz authorized state disaster aid Tuesday for six Minnesota counties, four hit by September flooding and two by July wildfires. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Gov. Tim Walz authorized state disaster assistance for six Minnesota counties affected by flooding and wildfires. Fillmore, Houston, Steele and Waseca counties will receive help for flood damage, while Cook and Lake counties will receive help for wildfire damage.

Why it matters

The assistance helps local governments cover disaster-related costs that exceed their own resources during recovery. Funding will come through the state's Disaster Assistance Contingency Account, or DACA, which provides financial assistance to eligible local governments.

The state authorization covers six counties across two separate events, four affected by flooding and two by wildfires. The total dollar amount of assistance has not yet been determined pending documentation and completed recovery work.

The players

Tim Walz

Tim Walz is the Governor of Minnesota, who authorized the state disaster assistance and declared the peacetime emergency during the wildfires.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety oversees the Homeland Security and Emergency Management division, which worked with local officials to assess flood damage and coordinate recovery.

The details

Heavy rainfall beginning September 19 caused flooding, mudslides, road closures and damage to homes and other properties in southern Minnesota. Wildfires that began July 7 damaged public infrastructure in portions of northern Cook and Lake counties, prompting Walz to declare and later extend a peacetime emergency and mobilize the Minnesota National Guard.

July 7: Wildfires began in northern Minnesota.
September 19: Heavy rainfall and flooding began in southern Minnesota.
November 11: Governor authorized disaster assistance for six counties.

Seasonal Patterns

The authorization draws on Minnesota's DACA fund, which is used when disaster-related local expenses exceed county resources, and applies it to two separate events from the same year. The state's response shows how the same contingency account is used across both summer wildfire and late-summer flood emergencies.

Residents in Fillmore, Houston, Steele, Waseca, Cook and Lake counties should watch for local government updates on recovery work and any requests for documentation tied to the assistance. Local officials will coordinate the submission of required documentation before the final funding amount is set.

The takeaway

Disaster assistance in Minnesota depends on local governments documenting their costs, so timely reporting determines how quickly recovery funds reach affected communities. Residents affected by either event should stay in contact with their county officials about recovery progress.